Robotic system and method for the automation of slag and matte discharge from smelters

ABSTRACT

At present, the discharge of slag and/or matte from smelting furnaces is being carried out manually. One of the major disadvantages of all the activities associated to the slag and/or matte discharge is the fact the personnel is exposed to harsh environmental conditions. In the medium and long term, this could generate serious occupational diseases to the operators in charge of carrying out the discharge. Due to the above, a robot system and/or method have been developed for the discharge of slag and/or matte from the smelting furnaces which include: a flash furnace, teniente converter, pierce smith converter, reverbatory furnace, electrical furnace, blast furnace among others. The robot system and method is composed mainly of an anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom and a gripping mechanism to take several tools for tapping and punching the smelting furnace, taking samples from channels and cleaning the smelting furnace channels. In this regard, most of the problems associated to the safety of the personnel and the productivity of the manual and/or mechanical process are eliminated.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/734,985 filed 2005 Nov. 10 by the present inventor

FEDERAL SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to the use of robotic technology in mining industry to improve the working conditions of the operators, specifically in the smelting area.

2. Prior Art

The Smelting furnaces main function is to smelt metals and/or concentrates in order to purify and extract the ore. These furnaces use the heat generated from the high temperature oxidation reactions resulting in 2 stages: one stage with the valuable metal of interest which is called matte, and the other stage with worthless metal called slag. In general terms, the smelting furnaces operate on a continuous basis, while the matte and the slag are discharged to bins through batch processes by opening and closing the corresponding passage. At present, the slag discharge process is batch, which is carried out manually by the operators and involves the following tasks:

-   -   Punching of the passage, with which the passage opens to         discharge the slag.     -   Slag sampling in order to feedback the flash furnace operation     -   Passage plugging in order to close the slag exit     -   Cleaning of channels, to remove the slag solidified by its         passing through the outlet channel to the bin.

One of the major disadvantages of all the tasks associated to the slag discharge process is the exposure of personnel to harsh environmental conditions. This could generate in the medium and long term, serious occupational diseases to the operators in charge of carrying out the task.

Particularly in passage punching and plugging procedures, there are disadvantages from the safety point of view, as a result of the operator's exposure to molten metal spatters and projections. Similarly, the manipulation of the tool, used by the operator in these tasks, must be done very carefully to avoid damaging the refractory plates which surrounds the furnace outlet. On the other hand, as far as operations is concerned, a decrease in the capacity of the furnace processing could be generated which leads to a decrease in the processing capacity of the furnaces.

SUMMARY

A robotic system and a robotized method have been developed for slag and/or matte discharge proceedings from the smelting furnaces allowing carrying out necessary tasks in a automated way. These tasks are: Punching and tapping the exit passages, sampling the different materials and cleaning the exit channels

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

In the drawings, closely related figures share the same numbers, with different alphabetic suffixes.

FIG. 1. View of the punching process of the smelting furnace.

FIG. 2. View of the punching process of the smelting furnace.

FIG. 3. View of the plugging process of the smelting furnace

FIG. 4. View of the plugging process of the smelting furnace

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1. Robotic manipulator     -   2. Mobile or fixed mounting system     -   3. Gripping mechanism     -   4. Punching tool     -   5. Passage at side of furnace (or smelter)     -   6. Discharge channel     -   7. Plugging tool (also called tapping tool)     -   8. Furnace (also called smelter)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a new robot system as well as robotic method for slag and/or discharge procedures from the smelting furnace which is mainly composed of a anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom, with a gripping mechanism to manipulate different tools, this allows to carry out the following activities:

-   -   To take a tool to carry out the punching procedure of the         smelting furnace.     -   To take a tool to carry out the sampling procedure from the         smelting furnace channels.     -   To take a tool provided with a plug to carry out the plugging         procedure of the smelting furnace.     -   To take a tool to carry out the cleaning procedure over channels         of the smelting furnace.

With reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the system is composed of a anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom (1) which is mounted in a mobile or fixed system (2), a communication, acquisition and control system which is provided with a gripping mechanism (3) which allows to take a tool (4) to be used in the punching procedure of the passage at the side of the furnace (5) to discharge the slag and/or matte from the smelting furnace. Once this is carried out, the gripping mechanism (3) takes a tool which is used to obtain a slag and/or matte sample from the discharge of the channel (6) of the smelting furnace. Then, the gripping mechanism (3) takes a tool which is used to clean the channel of the smelting furnace (6). Finally, the gripping mechanism (3) takes a tool provided with a plug (7) which allows to plug the passage to close the slag and/or matte flow from the furnace (8). 

1. Robot system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, comprising of an anthropomorphous robotic arm of at least 5 degrees of freedom, one control, communication and programming unit, one gripper adapter, one pneumatic gripper mechanism, one pneumatic gripper mechanism driving system, one electric supply system, one fixed and/or mobile tool holder, one tool for punching, one tool for slag and/or matte sampling, one tool for channel cleaning and one tool for plugging wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom is provided with a gripping mechanism, to take in a sequential and programmed way, each of the different tools which are deposited in the fixed and/or mobile tool holder, located near the robotic manipulator, and which will be used, separately, to carry out the passage punching, the sampling of the slag and/or matte, the cleaning of the channels and the passage plugging, so as to close the flow of slag and/or matte from the smelting furnace.
 2. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system has the capacity to take, move, manipulate and release each of the different tools, in different paths, within the work volume of the robotic manipulator.
 3. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator is mounted on a mobile or fixed system which allows, in a sequential and programmed way, to move itself to approach or move away from the smelting furnace to carry out the passage punching procedure, the sampling of the matte and/or slag, the cleaning of channels and the passage plugging procedure.
 4. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator could communicate itself or through a PLC interface with the control system.
 5. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to obtain and interpret the information from installed analogue and/or digital sensors.
 6. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to generate analogue and/or digital signals to control devices with analogue and/or digital inputs.
 7. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator may use a pneumatic, electrical and/or hydraulic gripping mechanism, which allows in a sequential and programmed way, to take, manipulate and release the different types of devices to be used in the passage punching procedure, sampling of matte/slag, channel cleaning and passage plugging procedure, respectively.
 8. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system uses a tool holder which may be fixed and/or mobile, from which the robotic manipulator takes, in a sequential and programmed way, the different tools to be used in the passage punching procedure, sampling of matte and/or slag, channel cleaning and passage plugging procedure, respectively.
 9. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system uses a tool which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage punching process, and once this procedure is finished, it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 10. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the sampling process of the matte and/or slag, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 11. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the channel cleaning process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 12. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage plugging process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 13. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has an electric and/or hydraulic system driven by three-stage induction motors, with vectorial control.
 14. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system could be integrated to the discharge of slag and/or matte in any type of smelting furnaces whether smelting and/or conversion process of copper and other materials such as iron, zinc, nickel, silver, gold, tin, lead, etc.
 15. Robotic system for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace, according to claim 1, wherein the system may operate automatically, or semiautomatically, and also allows solutions scalability.
 16. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom is provided with a gripping mechanism to take, in a sequential and programmed way, each of the different tools deposited in the fixed and/or mobile tool holder, located near the robotic manipulator, and which are going to be used, separately, to carry out the passage punching at the side of the furnace, the sampling of the slag and/or matte, the cleaning of the channels of the smelting furnaces and the passage plugging, so as to close the flow of slag and/or matte from the smelting furnace.
 17. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system has the capacity to take, move, manipulate and release each of the different tools, in different paths, within the work volume of the robotic manipulator.
 18. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the robotic manipulator is mounted on a mobile or fixed system which allows, in a sequential and programmed way, to move itself to approach or move away from the smelting furnace to carry out the passage punching procedure, the sampling of the matte and/or slag, the cleaning of channels and the passage plugging procedure.
 19. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator could communicate itself or through a PLC interface with the control system.
 20. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to obtain and interpret the information from installed analogue and/or digital sensors.
 21. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to generate analogue and/or digital signals to control devices with analogue and/or digital inputs.
 22. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the robotic manipulator may use a pneumatic, electrical and/or hydraulic gripping mechanism, which allows in a sequential and programmed way, to take, manipulate and release the different types of devices to be used in the passage punching procedure, sampling of matte/slag, channel cleaning and passage plugging procedure, respectively.
 23. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool holder which may be fixed and/or mobile, from which the robotic manipulator takes, in a sequential and programmed way, the different tools to be used in the passage punching procedure, sampling of matte and/or slag, channel cleaning and passage plugging procedure, respectively.
 24. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage punching process, and once this procedure is finished, it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 25. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the sampling process of the matte and/or slag, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 26. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the channel cleaning process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 27. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage plugging process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 28. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has an electric and/or hydraulic system driven by three-stage induction motors, with vectorial control.
 29. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system could be integrated to the discharge of slag and/or matte in any type of smelting furnaces whether smelting and/or conversion process of copper and other materials such as iron, zinc, nickel, silver, gold, tin, lead, etc.
 30. Robotic method for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system may operate automatically, or semi automatically, and also allows solutions scalability.
 31. Tool for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage punching process, and once this procedure is finished, it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 32. Tool for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the sampling process of the matte and/or slag, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 33. Tool for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the channel cleaning process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder.
 34. Tool for slag and/or matte discharge from the smelting furnace using the robot System of claim 1 to 15, wherein the system uses a tool, which is located in the tool holder, in a way that the robotic manipulator takes the tool, in a sequential and programmed way, to carry out the passage plugging process, and once this process is finished it deposits the tool back to the tool holder. 